Canadians defend boozing women

By QMI Agency

They may have cracked that cold one in the wrong place according to Olympic rules, but Canadians are leaping to the defence of their Olympic hockey champions.

The International Olympic Committee announced that they were launching an investigation into the on-ice celebrations of Canada's women's hockey Olympic team following their gold medal win on Thursday night. But the rest of Canada quickly condemned the action, filling online forums and Twittering their congratulations to their women's hockey team one more time.

"I wish I was there with them," wrote el baz on ottawasun.com.

"Canadian Women" was a trending topic on Twitter on Friday morning -- meaning it was one of the most discussed topics on the social network forum.

The women's hockey returned to the ice with cigars, beer and champagne about 30 minutes after the gold medal ceremony on Thursday night. Photos of the celebration appeared online shortly thereafter.

But while the IOC's investigation is ongoing, some online commenters are curious that if it is so concerned about the image of its athletes' celebrations, it seemed strangely silent when Canadian skeleton winner Jon Montgomery drank from a pitcher of beer on live television following his gold medal win.

"I didn't have a problem when Jon Montgomery celebrated and I don't have a problem with the women's hockey team celebrating," wrote another poster.

"These athletes work hard to get where they are and they deserver to enjoy their moment as they see fit."

Following Montgomery's gold medal win, he was filmed walking away from his event when someone from the crowd handed him a pitcher of beer, which he drank from liberally.

This isn't the only time that post-medal celebrations have come under scrutiny at the Vancouver Games.

After snowboarder Scotty Lago of the United States posed for photos with his medal at a party, with several women biting his medal in risque poses, he offered to go home before the U.S. Olympic Committee had a chance to ask him to leave.

"He made that call, and it was the right decision," U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Larry Probst said at the time.

Hockey Canada has apologized for the actions of the women's team.

"In the excitement of the moment, the celebration left the confines of our dressing room and shouldn't," they said in a statement. "The team regrets that its gold-medal celebrations may have caused the IOC or COC any embarrassment."

That apology isn't sitting well with many online posters, either.

"These people need to lighten up. The women did their job, (and very well I might add). A celebration at centre ice in an empty arena with a little alcohol, was neither inappropriate, nor should it be a reflection of any kind on the Olympic committee," wrote Jay on the ottawasun.com. "I'm sure the girls wanted to live in the moment a little longer, since it's one of the greatest milestones of their lives."